The Art Gallery at Eastern held a reception for the exhibition “When There Were No Maps and No Borders: The Grandeur of Nature” on Feb. 18 at 5 p.m. The exhibition will be on display until March 13; admission is free and open to the public. 

The exhibition features 14 artists exploring the planet’s uncertain future. Their work examines climate change, pandemics, involuntary migration, racial discrimination, conflicts and wars. 

Ten Connecticut-based artists and four international artists from countries including India and Germany have contributed paintings, installations, photographs and videos documenting the global deterioration of natural resources. 

“When There Were No Maps and No Borders” invites visitors to experience nature’s magnificence and recognize the importance of protecting it. “All of the artists in this exhibition suggest that, although humans have harmed the land, Mother Nature is compassionate,” said Julia Wintner, director of the Art Gallery. “We need only ask for forgiveness.” 

Patty Szczys, sustainability director, biology professor and director for the Big Read program, said the exhibition aims to “connect the community to our natural surroundings and challenge us to imagine a future that is sustainable.” 

Among the attendees was local artist Rebecca Clark, whose pieces were inspired by “sudden and irreversible change,” she said. “They are about the environment and, in a more universal way, about climate change or natural disasters.” 

Artist Phoebe Godfrey discussed her piece “The Womb of Creation,” noting that “the majesty of nature is a return to the divine feminine.” Originally, she planned to create lightning inspired by Zeus, the Greek god of sky and thunder, but after reflecting on its shape, she decided to depict strong femininity instead.  

“It's time to reconceptualize motherhood and nurturing because it’s not about gender, it’s about life-giving and life-taking, because she’ll kill you as well,” she said, referring to mother nature. 

Artist Timothy Kussow said his sculptures were inspired by “the gray area between work and play.” Kussow, chair of the visual and performing arts department at CT State Community College Manchester, is also a firefighter in Mansfield. His work explores the duality of “white-collar vs. blue-collar mentality.”